Clemson running back David Eziomume is officially out for the entire season after getting carted off the field with a brutal leg injury against California. That’s a devastating blow Tigers coach Dabo Swinney confirmed on September 27. Nobody wants to see a guy go down, especially like that.
One Play, Season Done, and a Heartbreaking Message
The injury happened on a kickoff return. This was right after Cal scored a scoop-and-score touchdown, picking up a fumble from Clemson quarterback Tait Reynolds in the first quarter. Oof, what a sequence. While the Tigers still managed to get the 24-10 win over the Golden Bears on September 25, the cost was huge. Swinney said the surgery Eziomume needs is similar to the one defensive tackle Markus Strong had earlier this season, also a season-ender against LSU on September 5.
Eziomume is primarily a special teams guy, and you know how critical those unheralded players are. He only had one carry this season, but guess what? It was an 11-yard touchdown run against LSU in a tough 51-10 defeat. That was Clemson’s only touchdown in that game. He has played three seasons for the Tigers, racking up 144 yards on 27 career carries. After the Cal game, Eziomume posted on his X account, saying, “Lord I thank you, for you are an amazing God. I never question your works for I know it all has meaning. I love y’all and I’ll be back soon.” Man, that’s just tough to read.
More Bumps and Bruises, But Maybe a Bright Spot?
Eziomume isn’t the only one banged up, either. Starting guard Elyjah Thurmon also went down against the Golden Bears, though Swinney categorized that one as short-term. Starting nickel Corian Gipson and co-starting defensive tackle Devarrick Woods didn’t even play due to injury. Swinney says all those are short-term, with “Everybody would be pretty much day-to-day from just being banged up from this game or previous game.”
During the Cal game, Gavin Blanchard stepped in for Thurmon, and Misun Kelley got the start at nickel over Gipson. One interesting shift: defensive lineman Darien Mayo moved from defensive end to defensive tackle to cover for Woods. Swinney admitted he was already considering that move anyway. “I felt like we needed to move Mayo inside this week,” Swinney said. “Devarrick was down, and it’s just something I’ve been thinking about anyway, and just felt like that was a good move. I just wanted to see what it looked like, and then he was a bright spot. I think that’s a great move for him.” So, maybe a silver lining there with Mayo finding a new home.
The Tigers are sitting at 3-1 overall, 2-0 in the ACC, but these injuries, especially the season-ending one for Eziomume, are a huge test. They’ve got to find a way to navigate these bumps and keep pushing forward. Every game from here on out is a battle, both on the field and with health.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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